Tobias G. Mealey House facts for kids
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Tobias G. Mealey House
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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The Tobias G. Mealey House in 2020
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Territorial Road, Monticello, Minnesota |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | Tobias Mealey |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001082 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
| Removed from NRHP | January 10, 2020 |
The Tobias G. Mealey House is a special old house in Monticello, Minnesota. It was first built in 1855 by a man named Tobias Mealey. His family added more parts to the house over many years. Later owners also made changes, like adding a large section on the east side.
This house is important because of Tobias Mealey. He was a very active person in the early days of Monticello. He helped the town grow as a businessman and also worked in politics. The house was listed on a special list of historic places in 1976, but it was removed from that list in 2020.
Contents
What Does the Mealey House Look Like?
The Tobias G. Mealey House sits on a green, bushy hill outside the main part of Monticello. The first part of the house was a simple two-story building. It was made of wood and had pointed roofs called gables. These gables had open triangle shapes, a style known as Greek Revival.
The main door used to be on the west side. At one time, there was a porch with columns there. Over the years, the house grew bigger and more complex. Porches, gables, and chimneys were added. New rooms, like a kitchen, were built towards the east. The main entrance eventually moved to the southeast corner.
Even with all the changes, the outside of the house looked the same. It was covered with narrow wooden boards called clapboard. Later, a whole new section was added to the east. In 1976, this part had a garage and a shop that sold old things.
Who Was Tobias Mealey?
Tobias Mealey was born in New Brunswick, Canada. When he was in his late 20s, he went west to join the California Gold Rush. This was a time when many people rushed to California hoping to find gold.
In 1852, Tobias was returning to Canada. He traveled through Minnesota and really liked what he saw. So, in 1855, he married Catherine Prescott. They decided to move to Minnesota together.
They chose to settle in Monticello, which was called Moritzious back then. Saint Paul was already a big city, and Minneapolis wasn't famous yet. Tobias built their house on a hill away from the Mississippi River. He wanted to be away from the boatmen and lumberjacks, who he thought were a bit rough.
How Mealey Helped Monticello Grow
Tobias Mealey was a smart businessman. He invested in several companies in Monticello. He owned a sawmill, which cuts wood, and two factories. He also had a general store where people could buy many different things. All these businesses helped Monticello's economy grow. He also farmed the land around his house.
Tobias was also active in politics. He held some local judge positions. Then, in the 1870s, he became a politician in the Minnesota Legislature. This is like a state government where laws are made. He served several terms there.
He also made friends with important people in Minnesota. He sold land to Thomas Lowry, who was a famous businessman, for a summer home. Tobias also became very good friends with James J. Hill, who was a powerful railroad owner.
The Mealey Family and Their House
Tobias and Catherine Mealey had five children: two sons and three daughters. As their family grew, they kept adding more rooms to their house.
In 1884, their daughter Susan married Rufus Rand. He was a vice-president of a gas company in Minneapolis. As a wedding gift, the Mealeys gave Susan and Rufus a large piece of land next to their own. Susan then designed a huge 30-room house on this land. It was called the Rand House and was used as a summer home.
James J. Hill, Tobias's friend, even had a special railroad track built nearby. This made it easier for guests to come to the wedding.
What Happened to the Mealey House Later?
Tobias Mealey passed away in 1904. After he died, Catherine moved in with one of their daughters. The Mealey family continued to use the house as a summer home until about 1940.
Then, the house was empty for a few years. In 1947, Carl and Jeanette Sebey bought it. They started to fix it up and make it nice again. After the Sebeys moved out, the house was empty once more. During this time, it was damaged by vandals, and wild animals like skunks lived there. Plants also started to grow all over it.
In 1965, Bob and Marion Jameson bought the property. They were antique dealers and started fixing up the house again. However, in the 2010s, it seemed like the house was empty once more.
